CaGBC to Provide Free LEED Registration and Certification for Fort McMurray Rebuilding

August 4, 2016

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is providing free LEED registration and certification for residential, commercial and institutional projects. CaGBC will also work with LEED Canada for Homes providers EcoAmmo and 4 Elements Integrated Design, which will offer free LEED administration services to residents who would like to rebuild or renovate through the CaGBC program. “Canadians across the country watched in horror as Fort McMurray’s homes, businesses and schools were threatened by a natural disaster that is becoming far too common in Canada due to our changing climate,” says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. “The resilience of the citizens of Fort McMurray and the surrounding regions is inspiring, and the Council wanted to do its small part to help rebuild this wonderful community. Sustainable housing with durable, quality construction, improved energy and water efficiency and healthier indoor spaces will provide lasting benefits to residents.” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the world’s most recognized green building rating system, with projects in over 150 countries. LEED buildings are designed and constructed to be healthy, high-performance buildings. Among their many benefits, they can provide

• reduced energy consumption leading to big annual savings for homeowners and businesses

• better indoor air quality and more natural light

• low or non-toxic products and finishes that are safer for occupants

• greater durability against the elements

For the LEED Homes Providers based in Alberta who will be helping CaGBC in this initiative, the disaster has hit close to home. “Our friends, families and colleagues were impacted by the fires,” says Brandy Burdeniuk, Founding Principal, EcoAmmo Sustainable Consulting Inc. “We want to support the community of Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to rebuild. In amongst the tragedy is the opportunity to rebuild homes that are more efficient, comfortable and healthier, allowing citizens to thrive and rebuild their strong community.”

“The fire was a sad reminder of the fragility of our homes, and I sympathize with families left to rebuild in the aftermath,” says Tyler Hermanson, Director and Lead Designer at 4 Elements Integrated Design Inc. “Having recovered from several floods myself, I know the pressure to ‘get back to normal’ as quickly as possible, but when completing a full rebuild families have a huge opportunity to build better, stronger and more resilient communities that all of Alberta can learn from. Designing and building with LEED in mind can create substantially more comfortable, durable and energy efficient homes.”

This is the third time CaGBC has offered free LEED registration and certification to Canadian communities hit by disaster. In Calgary, intense flooding in 2013 led to the damage of thousands of homes in the region. Also in 2013, CaGBC worked with Quebec home builder Écohabitation to help rebuild the town centre of Lac-Mégantic, after a train derailment led to the destruction of roughly 40 buildings in the community. There are currently 50 condo units being built that are targeting LEED Silver, which use sustainable design and construction to benefit residents.

For more information on the program being offered in Fort McMurray, contact homes@cagbc.org.